TVPL Division One Match Report (21/02/2026): AFC Reading vs. Hype Train FC

Welcome aboard the home of Hype Train Football Club. Here, you can read the match reports from the Train's outings across Saturday League action throughout the 2025/26 season, with the team competing in the Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL). All aboard.

Match Report: Hype Train FC

Date: Saturday 21st February 2026

Competition: TVPL Division One (Game 12)

Opposition: AFC Reading

Location: Berks County Sports Club, Sonning Lane, Reading, RG4 6ST

Final Score: AFC Reading 3-4 Hype Train FC

Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk

Match Report:

The Train's encounter against Bramley United was our 14th competitive fixture of the 2025/26 season, with the team competing in Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL) Division One. This was our 2nd competitive match against AFC Reading this season, with our previous encounter ending in a 3-3 draw on the opening day of the season at Waingels College.

The game was a lively, open affair on a good 3G surface, with plenty of opportunities for long range shots from Reading in the opening minutes, without really testing Jamie Halsall in goal. The first big moment for The Train did arrive in the 8th minute, with Leon Mannion doing well to run away from his marker on the right side of the pitch, cutting the ball back to Daniel Plummer to shot at the first time of asking, though the effort was deflected onto the post and away from danger.

The first strike of the game went in favour of the hosts in navy blue during the 17th minute, and started when the Reading goalkeeper played the ball to their lively Number 10, Dylan Clark, who fed a mid-height down a central channel, allowing their left back to flick on the pass towards their Number 8, Patrick Townsend. The midfielder was able to turn his body before firing a nice right footed effort into the roof of the net from the edge of the box to give the home outfit the lead.

Having just gone ahead, the squad would draw level almost immediately in the 19th minute, with Nadim Gharabli quite literally taking matters into his own hands. The move started when Mark Bush put pressure on a Reading attacker, leading to a rushed backwards pass. Gharabli was hot onto the pass and took the ball from the Reading Number 4 midway in our own defensive half - Gharabli then glided forward and sold an opposition central defender with some lovely skill to allow the midfielder to have a free route of goal from the halfway line. Gharabli then strode forward, before poking the ball home past the Reading shot stopper to draw the game level!

Many probing, but wide of the mark chances, followed for The Train until the 45-minute mark, where minutes before the half-time interval the turnaround was complete for the team. The move prior to a 2-1 lead for the team saw Connor Anderson providing a low cutback from the left byline that reached Aiden Iqbal, though the shot was well saved and went out for a corner. The resulting set-piece was delivered in by Connor Stratford and was fumbled by the hands of the opposition keeper (who had a good game) and dropped on the line for Ashley Rockall to touch home the ball on the line - a welcome gift on Rockall's 22nd birthday to gift the squad a lead!

A good end to the first-half made way for a 3-1 lead in the second added minute of time added on, with Mannion back in and amongst the goals for the team after a stint on the shelf due to injury. The move started on the right when Anwar Mmanga pressed his marker well and robbing the ball, which allowed Stratford and Mannion to combine well, with Mannion finishing with a curling effort that deceived the goalkeeper and went in at the far post!

The squad's 4th goal in the game arrived not long into the second-half during the 52nd minute, with an initial corner being won after Mannion won a corner after some good trailing defending by the Reading right back to win a corner. The resulting corner saw another top-class delivery from Stratford setting up Rockall once more, this time the deep corner was on a plate for the ball to hit the central defender's thigh, with the ball carried over the line for a 4-1 lead.

There was a changing win in the game that started in the 58th minute when AFC Reading were awarded a penalty kick after their Number 10 rounded Halsall and was taken down, and despite the offside flag going up, the referee stuck with his decision to award the spot kick, which was calmly converted to Halsall's right to reduce the game to 4-2. In protest to Reading's second, Mark Bush found his way into the sin bin, reducing the squad temporarily down to 10-men, though the team dug in well when a man down.

Trying to kill the game off, Conall Gorman had a brilliant opportunity to score, when he was played through on the left by Mannion, with Gorman squeezing his way past two markers, and drawing a top save from the Reading goalkeeper - whilst in the 87th minute we squandered an opportunity for a 5th when Jabal Hassanali played a lovely line breaking pass forward to Mannion, who rounded the keeper, but from a tight angle was unable to finish the chance.

AFC Reading gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the 90th minute when they scored a 3rd goal, which was the resulting of good interplay down their right, which led to a shot fired into the roof of the net, whilst a couple of headed chances were close as the hosts looked to complete a comeback - though we were able to hang on for our first win of 2026 against a decent team on the road!

Next up, The Train travel to Rotherfield United on February 28th 2026, in Thames Valley Premier League's Division One.

Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:

"After a few tough weeks, the squad were eager to rectify a couple of poor results, and overall, we're happy to secure our first win of the calendar year and dig in well to get a good result against another Division One team who have a lot of qualities.

The first-half was largely probing and end-to-end for both teams, with so many chances, though as the half drew to a close, we seized our moment in the game to get the crucial goals to give us a safety net in the game. The 3-goal lead then led to a little bit of complacency, though our game management became more difficult, largely due to our own defects as we went down to 10-men, which then gave our substitutes a difficult job to come into the game to impact effectively - but overall given the nature of our chances and the flow of the game, I believe that we shaded a good game and were good enough to secure the points.

The win is vital as we look to rebuild momentum at the top end of the table, and it's much needed for us to settle the players down so we can focus on another difficult game coming up against Rotherfield next weekend. Thank you to all the players for putting in a top shift, and for our Muslim players excelling despite fasting - we all love to see it!

We wish nothing but the best to AFC Reading for the remainder of the season, they're a top-class bunch of players and management alike and have enjoyed two good games of football against them in our maiden TVPL season!"

Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Manager: Robert Austin

Starting 11:

GK: Jamie Halsall

DEF: Anwar Mmanga

DEF: Mark Bush

DEF: Ashley Rockall

DEF: James Carter (Mace 53')

MID: Daniel Plummer (Hassanali 69')

MID: Nadim Gharabli

MID: Aiden Iqbal (Rodriguez 69')

MID: Connor Stratford (Anderson 78')

MID: Connor Anderson (Gorman 53')

FOR: Leon Mannion (Marshall 80')

Substitutes:

SUB: Daniel Mace

SUB: Samuel Rodriguez

SUB: Chris Marshall

SUB: Jabal Hassanali

SUB: Conall Gorman

Goals & Assists:

Goal 1: Gharabli (goal), no assist

Goal 2: Rockall (goal), Stratford (assist)

Goal 3: Mannion (goal), Stratford (assist)

Goal 4: Rockall (goal), Stratford (assist)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUsfDLPcETw